Leland Slag Glass

Description

Not a true gem, not really sea glass, Leland Slag is in a category all its own. Truth is, Leland Slag is byproduct of smelting iron-ore, which they don’t do anymore thank god. It’s waste. Tossed aside into Lake Michigan like an old chunk of coal. 145 years later, it’s a beautiful stone that has earned a spot in my lineup. Read the nerdy, yet necessary, natural history below. I really love the color and texture of this piece.

LELAND BLUE (ANTIQUE FOUNDRY GLASS) c. 1875-1900

This unique “gem” is a byproduct of the short-lived days of smelting iron ore in Northwest Lower Michigan. The ore from the Upper Peninsula’s Mesabi iron range arrived in Leelanau Co. by schooner. A charcoal made from beech and maple hardwoods plus a local limestone flux were used to refine the ore; the slag byproduct was considered waste and dumped into Lake Michigan. This material ranges in color from black to green, to blue and purple, with the various shades of water-like blues being the most prized and rare. Under 2% of the slag created was blue, depending on environmental factors. The lucky and determined beachcomber may still find pebbles along the shore.